Pictures of You
by RuthieTudor
Summary: Sequel to 'Of Late Bloomers and Early Risers'. Moving on is the hardest part. Howard Moon/OC
1. I

A/N: Welcome to the sequel of 'Bloomers'. It's VITAL that you read that one first. It can be found on my profile.

* * *

"Howard? Moon! Wake up, you berk!" Naboo was banging on his bedroom door. He was in his bedroom. How did he get to his bedroom?

Howard cracked open one eye and immediately wished he hadn't. He wasn't in his room. He was in Vince's room; and Vince's room was not the best place to be hung over in.

Naboo banged again and Howard rolled towards the edge of the bed. He overestimated the distance, however; falling with a loud thunk. He groaned and crawled to the door, eyes still closed. He felt his way to the knob and pulled himself up, opening the door.

"I'm awake." His voice sounded like he was talking through a tin. Maybe that was just the way it sounded in his head.

Naboo had been knocking on Howard's door and, upon seeing him come out of Vince's room, he sighed and gave him a sad look, "You sound awful, Howard. In fact, you look awful too. I was going to tell you that you're late to open the shop but I don't want you scaring off customers. Take the day off."

Howard ran a hand through his greasy hair. He didn't look _that_ bad, did he? He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror next to the door and had to stare for a moment. Was that him? He didn't recognize himself anymore.

For starters, he'd grown a beard. He could practically hear Vince telling him to shave the abomination off his face before they were seen together. Howard didn't have the energy to shave though, so he just let it grow. His hair was a greasy mess and, without Vince's midnight haircuts, it was growing unruly. His eyes were sunken and there were dark circles under them. Even better, he stunk. When was the last time he'd washed? He couldn't remember. It had been two months since Vince's death and Lilly's disappearance. Howard thought it felt more like two days.

* * *

There was another fight going on in the apartment below Lilly. She could hear them screaming through the floorboards. It was distracting and she wanted to go down there and tell them to shut up but she knew she'd be sorry if she did. She didn't live in the nicest neighborhood.

She was standing in her one bedroom apartment, trying to apply eyeliner and hold a tiny mirror at the same time. She kept smearing the eyeliner all over her eyelid. With a scream of frustration, she threw the eyeliner across the room. Oh good, now she was crying. That would help with the eyeliner catastrophe. She couldn't do anything right.

She curled up on the floor and cried. What was the point of putting on eyeliner anyway? She didn't have anywhere to go.

Five minutes later, someone was banging on her door. She was sure it was her landlord, demanding payment that she couldn't afford. She couldn't afford bread anymore, let alone rent. She waited, holding her breath and willing her sobs away. He left, stomping down the hallway. Lilly imagined him getting a baseball bat from his coat closet, knocking down her door, and beating her to death.

She realized she wasn't imagining. She was wishing.

* * *

Sometimes, he dreamt of her. He could smell her hair, hear her laugh, feel her hand in his. He awoke aching and frustrated with the cold bed. He didn't believe in God but he prayed every night. He prayed to Vince. He prayed that Vince would change her mind; force her to come back. But every morning, the bed was cold and the alcohol induced fog was lifted.

He'd force himself up and out of bed, change his clothes, and go downstairs to open the shop. No one ever came in. Now that word had spread of Vince's death, no one came. No one wanted to see Howard. They all wanted to see Vince.

Howard would sit behind the counter and have conversations with the empty room. Sometimes, he would pretend Vince was there and he'd write another excuse down in his book. The excuses he came up with were never as good and he found himself just writing the same one down every day now:

_Vince is late today because he's dead.

* * *

_

Lilly had one friend in Los Angeles. His name was Alex. Alex lived in the building next door to Lilly's. Every day, Alex came over to Lilly's apartment and they ate peanut butter sandwiches together. Alex liked Lilly and every day he would learn something new about her and he'd find that he liked her even more.

Lilly liked Alex but, more often than not, she'd find herself pretending that he was Howard. Alex didn't look anything like Howard, but that didn't stop Lilly for trying her best to pretend she was in Dalston and Howard was there.

Alex was a pilot. He had explained to Lilly that he flew small planes for a charter. Sometimes he got to do international flights. He'd been all over – to exotic places like India, Thailand, and Australia.

Alex knocked on Lilly's door on a Wednesday morning. Normally, he came in the afternoons, but today, he'd explained, was a special day. He pushed past her and through the doorway, into her bedroom. He was packing her bags.

"What are you doing?" Lilly stood in the doorway, confused and still groggy from sleep.

Alex stopped and turned to her, "Well, you can't stay here, can you? You'd way overdue for rent and your landlord will kill you if you don't come up with something soon."

Lilly sighed, "So what? I don't have any money. I've got no where to go."

Alex zipped up her bag and thrust it towards her, "Yes you do. Remember that day when you told me about England? The look on your face…" He put his hands on her shoulders, "You belong there."

Lilly didn't like where this was going, "No, Alex. I can't go back. I – something really bad happened and I can't go back." The words were sticking in her throat. She hadn't told anyone about Vince. She didn't think she could survive telling it.

Alex smiled and wiped away her tears, "Sometimes, you have to face what scares you. Just to prove it isn't as scary as you thought."


	2. II

"Oh, remember this one? This was the gig that Lilly came to at the Velvet Onion." Howard sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve. A tear fell onto the photo and he quickly wiped it away.

Howard was sitting on the floor in Vince's bedroom. He was surrounded by photographs – some old, some new, and all from Vince's photo box that he'd kept under his bed. Howard didn't know why he'd pulled the box out. He wasn't supposed to know it existed. Vince had hidden it from him for a reason that Howard still couldn't figure out. But he'd discovered it one day – months ago – when he'd undertaken the endeavor of cleaning Vince's room.

The next photo he picked up, he immediately wanted to put back down. It was a candid picture of Lilly and Howard that Vince must have taken. They were sitting together on the floor of the living room, talking about something. Howard hadn't really realized until that moment how beautiful Lilly was.

* * *

Lilly felt a strong sense of déjà vu come over her as she walked down the street. Her backpack seemed to get heavier with every step she took. The closer she got to the Nabootique, the farther away she wished she was. The only thing pushing her on was her need to see Howard. She had to make sure he was okay before she could turn around and go again. Though, she wasn't sure she'd be able to leave this time.

The first time Lilly passed the Nabootique, she didn't even stop. She just kept walking, watching it disappear behind her before turning the corner and trying to catch her breath. She'd never had a panic attack before, but she thought this is what it must have felt like.

The second time Lilly passed the Nabootique, she stopped for just a moment. She peered into the window, half of her expecting to see the shop boarded up and everything gone. To her surprise – and shock – there was a man sitting behind the counter. Upon first glance, she didn't recognize him and thought Naboo must have replaced Vince. But, after some study, she realized that it was actually Howard. He looked an absolute state and Lilly wanted to cry. She didn't know how much of that was because of Vince's death – which was her fault – and how much was because of her absence – which was also her fault. All in all, it was all her fault.

She didn't go in. She just kept walking.

* * *

Howard was sitting behind the counter in the Nabootique, reading a copy of Global Explorer and reminiscing on the Yeti mishap. He knew no one was going to set foot near the shop on that day – or any other – so he didn't bother turning the sign around.

Something in the window caught his eye and he glanced up. He couldn't believe his eyes. Standing there, squinting at him through the pane was the love of his life. But just as soon as she appeared, she was gone. He sighed and flipped to the article on page twenty-two.

* * *

The third time Lilly passed the Nabootique, her feet were aching. She hadn't eaten in ages and she attributed her loss of stamina to hunger. It was now or never. She had to confront Howard.

The sign on the door said 'Closed' but it swung open against her hand. Clearly, Howard had forgotten to turn the sign again. Vince told her once that he was always forgetting to flip the sign and they were losing profits because of it.

The bell above her head jingled and she froze, still only halfway in the shop. Howard glanced up, ignored her, and looked back down to whatever he was reading. Lilly sighed and stepped forward, mustering strength she didn't have.

"Howard?"

He looked up again, shook his head, and looked back down. Something was wrong.

"Howard, it's me, Lilly."

Howard didn't even look up this time but she saw the look on his face change. He looked hurt.

Lilly stepped forward to the counter. Howard was resting his head on his left hand and his right was turning the pages to what Lilly recognized as a copy of Global Explorer. It was nice to see that some things hadn't changed.

She reached out and put her hand on top of his. He froze and looked down at their hands in confusion. He looked back up at Lilly, who tried to smile, and then back down at their hands. If she wasn't real, she wouldn't be able to touch him.

He pulled his hand out from under hers harshly, as if her touch had burned him. She looked down at her lonely hand, resting on the glass case, and sighed.

"What are you doing here?" He still wouldn't look at her, choosing to stare down at the sepia colored picture in his magazine.

Lilly pulled her hand back and let it fall to her side, shrugging, "I don't know."

The silence stretched on for ages. It was stifling and Lilly wanted nothing more than to grab Howard by the collar and never let go. She wanted him to look at her, at the very least.

After a few minutes, he did look at her, and the look on his face brought tears to her eyes. He was angry and hurt, she could tell.

"What did you think you'd achieve, coming here?" He spat the words at her and then, when she didn't answer right away, sighed at her as if she wasn't worth his precious time, "I didn't blame you when – it – happened. I didn't blame you when you disappeared. But I do now. I've seen through your cheap act, Lilly Emerson. You used me, you lead me on, and you killed my best friend."

She thought at first that she was going to throw up. Then she thought she might cry. Then she thought she was going to scratch Howard's eyes out. Finally, she settled on a sick feeling in her gut. She couldn't think or move and she definitely couldn't speak. He'd just told her what she'd been telling herself for two months.

Howard stood up violently from the stool he was sitting on, making Lilly jump. He seemed to make it around the counter in three steps and was right in front of her before she had time to gather herself.

She looked up at him, fighting off the urge to cry, and he made eye contact with her for the first time in two months. For a moment, his mask broke and she saw the worry in his eyes. But he quickly covered it up with more anger and for the first time in her life, she was afraid of Howard Moon.

"I don't want you coming near me or any of my friends, ever. I suggest you vacate the premises." He gave her one last long stare and then turned to look at Stationary Village, "Good day, madam."

Lilly's heart broke. She'd heard that before somewhere. She knew those words. They struck fear into her and made her want to scream in frustration.

"Howard, you can't –"

He turned and glared at her once more, "I said good day."


	3. III

A/N: Sorry, it's a bit shorter. I needed the chapter to end where it does.

* * *

It was like moving in a haze. She walked down one street and then the next, getting further and further away from the only reason she had to stay in London. Lilly wondered if the people around her could hear her heartbeat. It sounded like the beating of a thousand base drums in her ears. But no one was looking. No one noticed her. She kept walking.

After a while, Lilly stopped, surveying the scenery around her. She was standing in front of the Nabootique. She was walking circles. She quickly crossed the street, hoping Howard wouldn't notice her, and sat down against the rough brick of the building. There was nothing for her to do but wait. Wait until Howard calmed down. Wait until things got better. Wait until she died.

Three hours passed and Lilly saw Howard lock the door and shut off the lights. She couldn't decide if she was happy that he hadn't come out to confront her again or not. She just wanted him to love her again.

"What's a pretty ting like you doin' in a place like this?"

Lilly jumped and turned around. Standing there, in front of her, was a green man in a top hat. She gasped and tried to scoot away.

The green man ignored her reaction, "You don't look like yer from 'round 'ere."

Lilly looked up at the looming man in horror and tried not to cry. Wasn't there a point where bad things just stopped happening to people? Hadn't she reached that point yet? Wasn't something good supposed to happen now?

"What's wrong, lamb? Everything gone a bit Pete, has it?" The green man crouched down next to her and positioned his face very close to Lilly's. She could feel his rancid breath on her cheek and she turned her head away to avoid it.

The man used his silver topped cane to force her to face him again, "It'd be a good idea for you to open that gob of yours and have a little chat with me." His voice was low and menacing and Lilly couldn't help but nod in response.

"Good girl." He removed his cane but didn't move away, "Now what's a pretty thing like you doing 'round 'ere?"

Lilly gulped and answered in a whisper, "I'm – um – I'm waiting for someone."

The man's face brightened in excitement and he laughed, "Yer a Yank! Blimey, and I thought I'd seen it all!"

Lilly gave him a confused look and he grinned manically at her, "They call me the Hitcher. What's yer name, lamb?"

"Lilly."

"A beautiful name." He put a green hand on her knee, "I'm goin' to help ya, Lilly."

Maybe it was the way he looked at her, or the way he'd offered to help her, or maybe it was just the fact that he was so different from anyone else she'd ever seen. Regardless of the reason, Lilly told him everything. For the first time in two months, she told someone about Vince.

The Hitcher seemed to understand where she was coming from. He didn't look shocked or horrified. In fact, when all was said, he'd laughed.

"I think I can help you out, Lilly." The way he said her name made her shiver, "Ya see, I know a bloke who knows a geezer who can bring people back from the dead. Just like that!" He snapped his fingers in her face and Lilly jumped.

She opened her mouth to respond but the Hitcher cut her off, "There's only one problem, ya see? Bringin' people back to the living isn't easy. It's gonna cost ya."

Lilly sighed, she knew all of that was too good to be true, "I don't have any money."

The Hitcher looked thoughtful for a moment and then he went back to maniacal, "I was thinkin' of something a bit different."

Lilly gave him a confused look, "Like what, exactly?"

"You for him. I get you. He gets to live."


	4. IV

Lilly awoke in a pitch black fog. Her head felt like it had exploded and been glued back together by a five year-old with a glue gun. What had she done?

"_Take it or leave it, me dear. Right now, looks like the best chance ya've got."_

"_I just want Howard to be happy. I ruined his life, it's the least I can do. I guess – if this will make him happy – okay." _

Oh yeah, that's what she'd done.

Lilly couldn't remember anything after that; just darkness and an aching in the back of her skull. She found she could move – with only the slightest bit of stiffness – but she still couldn't see. It was no good, being able to walk, if you couldn't see where you were going.

She sat up in the dark and looked around. Far off to her left, there was a light. She could just make out the flicker of a flame and – deciding to be brave – she stood and made her way toward it. What's the worst that could happen? She was already trapped in some kind of dark prison.

As she neared the fire, she could make out a figure crouched beside it. The closer she got to it, the easier it was to make out the person. It was a dark haired woman in a dress. To Lilly, she seemed surreal and out of place in this dark and endless prison.

"Um – excuse me." Lilly approached her.

The woman looked up and motioned for Lilly to come closer, "Hiya, love. Come on over 'ere and sit by the fire. You must be Lilly."

Lilly did what she was told but she was skeptical of the lady, "Yes I am. How did you –"

"I know everything that happens 'round 'ere. I'm Elsie."

* * *

Howard's head felt full of cotton as he lifted it from the pillow. It wasn't quite daylight yet. Why had he woken up? Something was happening.

Howard sat up and put on his slippers before quietly creeping out of his bedroom. He stepped out into the living room and saw there, stuffing things into a great black bag, was the Hitcher; his own living nightmare.

"What are you doing here?!" He hissed loudly, trying to sound menacing without waking Naboo.

The Hitcher was momentarily startled and whipped around to look at Howard, "Just packin' up, boy."

Howard glared, "Packing up? What are you talking about?"

"She's a pretty one, that girl of yours." The Hitcher picked up his back and stood up, "Selfless too. Right stupid bird, if you ask me."

Howard had no idea what he was talking about, but he felt compelled to defend whoever the Hitcher was talking about, "Shut up, you!"

The Hitcher laughed and put himself right in Howard's personal space, "Got a pretty name though, doesn't she. What was it again? Hmmm…" He thought for a moment before putting one green finger in Howard's face, "I remember now; Lilly. That's what it was."

Howard perked up as the Hitcher stepped away from him and towards the stairs, "What? What about Lilly?" He followed the Hitcher to the top of the stairs and watched the green man descend.

When he got to the bottom the Hitcher turned around and winked at Howard, "I'm gonna like havin' her in my box." He turned and walked away, muttering to himself, "Beautiful name, that…"

Howard stood, transfixed. Lilly was in the Hitcher's box? The Hitcher still had his box? And what had Lilly done that had been so selfless?

He turned and padded to the kitchen, putting the kettle on. The sun was beginning to rise and he didn't think he'd be getting any more sleep that night.

Four hours later and Howard was still in the kitchen. He'd eaten two bowls of cereal and a muffin, had three cups of tea, and counted the tiles on the floor seven times. There were sixty-two. He thought maybe he should open the shop but Naboo was away on Shaman business and wasn't there to force Howard to, so he let it stay closed for the day. He could use a day off, anyway. Maybe he'd clean the flat; it was getting to be a mess.

There was a loud sort of scuffling nose in the hallway that made Howard's ears perk up. He was the only one in the flat – unless that awful Hitcher had come back. He stood up from his seat and went to investigate. The closer he got to the bedrooms, the more he could hear. Someone was in Vince's bedroom. He could hear them cursing and moving about.

Howard took a deep breath before throwing the door open. There, behind the door, stood a very disheveled and forlorn looking Vince Noir.

"Howard?"

It was as if those months of dreams had finally come to life. Maybe he was hallucinating. Maybe all that time he spent talking to an imaginary Vince had driven him crazy. He blinked repeatedly and even resorted to rubbing his eyes, as if he were a cartoon character. Vince wouldn't budge.

"Vince?"

Vince just stood there, shocked and scattered. His hair was a mess and he was wearing his pajamas. He looked around the room a couple times and then back at Howard.

"Where's all my stuff gone?"


	5. V

A/N: Sorry for the YEAR long delay. I'm working very hard to finish this fic so I can get started on another one. Thanks for being patient.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight. We are sitting inside of a box? Just a – box."

"Yep, just your average magic box. It's hard to believe at first, but you get used to the idea after a while."

Lilly and Elsie were still seated around the fire, though the flames had become embers by now and, in the soft glow, Lilly could only barely make out the shape of Elsie's face.

"Is there a way out? A door or something? I mean, we got in somehow, so there must be a way out." Lilly looked around frantically but couldn't see anything in the pitch black darkness.

Elsie just watched Lilly begin to panic. She couldn't say whether or not there was an exit. She didn't honestly know.

Lilly turned back to Elsie, "Well? Haven't you looked? Don't you know?"

Elsie shook her head, "I can't. There is a darker spell holding me here."

Lilly stood up, "Well, I'm going to find a way out of here. You can come with me or you can stay there. I don't care."

* * *

There were two knots in their kitchen table. Howard had discovered them whilst avoiding eye contact with Vince, who was sitting across from him, staring into his cold cup of tea.

"Howard?"

"Yeah, Little Man?" Howard looked up to see Vince staring at him like a lost child.

There was a long pause in which Vince took time to blink his wide blue eyes. He shook his head, and looked back down at the tea, "Never mind."

Howard frowned. Vince always had something to say. He always had an opinion or at least some sort of ridiculous comment he absolutely had to contribute. Howard was mildly shocked – okay, he was pretty shocked – that Vince hadn't made a comment about his atrocious state. Clearly, there was something wrong.

"Where's Lilly?"

Howard was startled by Vince's question. He was even more startled by the look on the younger man's face when he finally made eye contact. He looked hurt; like he already knew the answer.

"Well, Vince, she's…well, she decided…and then she appeared…but now I don't…" Howard was having a hard time coming up with an answer.

"You drove her away, didn't you?" Vince's look of hurt had changed to an accusatory one.

"Whoa now! I did no such thing, sir." Howard braced himself for an argument, "She left of her own volition."

"You didn't go after her?" Vince waited for an answer and when all he got was a guilty look, he pressed on, "What did you have left for you here when I was…gone? Absolutely nothing! She's all you had left! You just let her go! You know, Howard, I'm glad more people don't fall in love with you. You're just cruel!"

Howard slammed his fist on the table and yelled, desperately trying to defend himself, "She disappeared! What was I supposed to do, Vince? I'd already lost my best mate and then she up and disappeared when I needed her most! I needed her, Vince! I needed her desperately and she wasn't there!"

Vince sighed and crossed his arms, lowering his tone, "So she's just gone?"

Howard echoed Vince and shook his head, "Well, not exactly."

"What do you mean, not exactly, Howard? She's either here or she isn't."

Howard went back to staring at the table and mumbled, "She came back."

Vince made a noise of frustration in the back of his throat, "So where is she?"

"I haven't quite figured that out yet, Vince. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that you're sitting in front of me. Let alone where Lilly's gone off to." Howard sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand childishly.

Vince looked up, confused, "Howard? Are you…"

"No." Howard pushed away from the table and stood up roughly. He moved to leave the room but thought better of it, instead turning and addressing Vince once more, "You know what, Vince? I was finally starting to deal with this…" He threw his arms out, gesturing, "…mess." He wiped away some more tears, angrily, "Now you've come back and it's all gone to shit again!"

Vince gaped at Howard's retreating back. He was blaming Vince for all this Lilly trouble! That Howard had some nerve.

The truth was, neither Vince nor Howard had any idea where Vince had been, why he was back, or how he got there. Howard knew the Hitcher had something to do with it but he couldn't quite lay his finger on the green man's role in the whole thing. But he knew who might have an idea.

"Naboo? Is that you?"

"Yes it's me, Howard. What are you doing calling me? Is there a problem with the shop?" Naboo rolled his eyes and held his finger up to Bollo, who was trying to pass him a joint. Bollo just rolled his eyes right back and passed the joint over Naboo to Saboo.

"No, the shop's alright, but I think you should come home. Something's happened."

"Spit it out, Moon! What's happened?" Naboo put a finger in his free ear and glared at Saboo, who was arguing with Tony Harrison.

"Just hold it to my lips!"

"I will do no such thing, you great ball sac!"

"Naboo? Hello?"

"I'm here, sorry. Now, what's the problem?"

"I said, Vince is back."

Naboo's eyebrows shot up on his forehead, "You said what?"

"He just showed up in the flat this morning. I have no idea how."

"Hold on, Howard." Naboo put his hand over his mobile's receiver and stage whispered angrily, "Would you two shut up?"

Tony Harrison swiveled to glare at Naboo, while Saboo took his chance and slapped Tony over the back of his big, pink, ball-shaped head. Tony Harrison let out a yell and turned back to Saboo, waving his tentacles about.

"You wanna fight? Is that it?"

"Maybe I do, you pink buffoon!"

Naboo sighed angrily and spoke into the receiver again, "Don't worry Howard. We're on our way."


End file.
